Child of the Universe
by midnight-wolf-314
Summary: You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars you have a right to be here. InuKag ONESHOT Rated T to be safe.


A/N: Hello everyone. I bet some of you are probably really mad at me for not having updated _Phantom_ in like, 4 months. Well, I have an excuse and anyone who has not attempted to read my profile, it is on there. So if you're wondering why I'm taking so long, you'll find it there. Also, on my profile, I promised about 10 new chapters, but after I typed them all, they seemed so stupid that there's only going to be 1 more chappie to it. Who knows though, maybe I'll put the others up as a sequel or something.

But to make up for only having one _Phantom_ chappie, I've written another story called _Forget Me Not_ which will be up on shortly, so be on the lookout.

This story pretty much just came to me and I just felt a need to write it. Please take time to read it so I'll know if it's any good.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and co. nor the quote that it is based on. I DID NOT COME UP WITH THAT ON MY OWN! I have know idea who said it, but I got it from _Seventeen_ magazine.**

_**"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here."**_

Child Of The Universe

By Midnight-Wolf-314

Inuyasha laid his head down on the soft grass and stared up at the nighttime sky. It was not very often that the hanyou could get out these days to be alone and just think like he used to. Well, ok, so maybe he didn't think all that much in the past, and being alone wasn't the best time of his life...but when you're constantly surrounded by four humans, a small fox and a fire cat, sometimes you just need to get away from the insanity of friends.

He wasn't far from Kaede's village, but the place was well hidden. It really was beutiful, almost haunting. The forest opened up to show the wide sky above it and was just far enough away from the villages to where he couldn't make out the voices and scents of the many people within them. You seemed to be directly underneath the moon for as you lie there, it would pass straight over your head. There was a small cave behind the you, just big enough to fit two people and still be comfortable. This was not entirely noticable, however, due to the small waterfall that just barely covered the entrance. It formed into a pond, and then to a stream which ran off the edge of a very large cliff.

While dangerous at night, the cliff was useful as well, for it provided a spectacular veiw of a large lake surrounded by trees during the day and at twilight, you had a perfect view of the sun sinking below the hazy mountains in the distance.

It was at this spot that the young hanyou could reflect on his life without being interrupted or disturbed. No one knew where his hidden hideaway was. All he had to do was mention that he was going for a walk and within minutes he would be at this very spot.

He had happened upon this place on the night of the new moon a couple months after his mother had died. he needed a safe place to rest the night without fear of being attacked, so he camped out in the small cave. No human would be able to find the cave and any demon who came along would not bother with a human child, so it was perfect. Every month after that, he would return here and rest for that night.

After he was released from the tree, however, he'd only had a couple chances to visit the place without someone finding out. It was never on his human night though. He figured that at least one of the group, Kagome most likely, would insist on following him to keep him safe.And although he hated to worry her, didn't want anyone to find his secret place.

"Kagome..." he whispered to himself, his mind wandeing to the young miko who had unintentionally changed his life. Mostly everything about the girl was a mystery to him that he guessed he'd never solve. Her thoughts and actions was the exact opposite of Kikyo. Not that this was a bad thing.But Inuyasha still had questions for her that would most likely never be answered for him. Questions such as, why did she choose to stay in the Feudal Era? Sure, it's her job, but dispite what he'd always told her, she didn't have to do it. Well, if she left than the jewel would never be completed, but so what? He'd changed his mind about his wish ages ago, and didn't exactly care any more.

Another question was, if she was going to do her job, why with him? Why choose to help someone who might use the jewel selfishly? What would she gain from traveling with someone as useless and pathetic as he was? (Hey, he didn't say that he'd given up on the whole 'I'm worthless' thing, did he?)

The hanyou sighed with both frustration and relief. Dispite wanting to know, he was happy that she chose the way she did. But he was brought back to the real world as he heard his topic of thought calling him. Her voice was faint; he was positive she wasn't far from the village. He was racing towards her voice in seconds, wondering if something might have happened to her or the others. Her voice was frantic, as though she was in danger and he sped even faster towards the miko.

He found her near the well, looking more and more frantic with each call. Inuyasha looked around, trying to sense any demon nearby, but none were there. She didn't look like she'd just run out of a battle, though, either. She looked like she always did, relief spread across her face as she saw him. He was beside her in the next instant. "What's wrong? What happened?"

She shighed and wrapped her arms around him. "Nothing."

"Whad'ya mean, 'nothing'? I could hear you calling miles away!"

"I was just worried, that's all. You've never been gone this long and I thought something might have happened." She started crying, half out of relief, and half of something along the lines of shame. She should have known better than to think he'd be hurt that easily and now he was gonna yell at her for being a stupid girl again.

His gaze shifted from frightened to angry to soft. He couldn't blame her for worrying, and was just glad everything was alright."You scared me half to death. I thought Naraku or someone had shown up, that's all." He looked down at her crying form and hugged her close. "I'm sorry I was gone for so long, and I'm sorry I worried you."

She took her face out of his kimono and looked up at him. Her tears had been replaced by surprise for his actions. Since when was he so nice? "You mean you're not mad?"

"No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have stayed out so late. I was just...thinking." He stopped to think for just a second and then picked the miko up bridal style, walking away from the village.

"Where are we going, Inuyasha?"

"You'll see." He had decided to let her see the clearing, knowing it'd cheer her up. She loved to look at the stars, and he loved her company. He'd had enough time to think.

He walked at a normal pace, just looking at her. He knew the way without having to think about it and wanted to hold her for as long as possible. She was content in his arms and they both wanted to make the moment last forever. But all too soon, even though it had been a half hour at least, Inuyasha and Kagome neared the 'gateway' to the clearing. Inuyasha jumped high into the air so as to let Kagome look around in the light of the full moon and bright, twinkling stars. Not expecting such a sudden movement, she threw her arms around him, but soon looked out on the clearing.

Her face lit up as she saw the beautiful spot before her. It was the most amazing place she'd ever seen, and, coming from her, that was a lot. As they landed next to the river, he set her down as she looked at him almost in disbelief. Since when did he like this sort of stuff? How'd he even find such a place so out of character for him?

"It's nice, huh?"

"Nice? It's amazing! When did you find this place?"

"A long time ago."

"How? And why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Well, it's a long story. To pretty much sum it up, I was running from a group of villagers when I was still small on my human night. They'd seen me transform and figured I'd be weak enough to kill at the time being. I just kinda ran into this place and hid in the cave behind that waterfall. After that, I'd come here every month to hide from demons and villagers who might take advantage of my human side. And after a while, it became just somewhere I could go to rest and recover. I'd never told anyone about it mostly because at that time I couldn't trust anyone. And since I was released from the tree, I've only come here to get away from all the Naraku stuff, just to be alone to think without Miroku's pervertedness and Shippo talking about everything. Not that I can come here that often any more." His gaze saddened a little as he sat down.

Her expression was now a mixture of sadness and understanding. The story made sense, and she felt almost sorry for him. Her arms once again found their way around his well-toned body as she kneeled down beside him. He Immediately pulled her into his lap and hugged her tightly yet again. It was completely out of character for him, but he suddenly felt the miko to be comforting. Not that she wasn't always, but hey.

He didn't exactly know why he felt like this over this place. It was just a clearing...no, it was more. It was almost like his home, or had been. But a few months ago, he wouldn't have been upset. It was a safe haven, but so what? And now, well, he may have been only a little saddened, but it was still more than he would ever have shown in the past. The hanyou realized then just how much he'd changed in the past couple months. 'All because of Kagome...' he thought, not that he was being rude or anything. She'd softened him up little by little every day and he wondered again why she did. Anyone else would have just shrugged off the fact that he was rude and selfish and just dealt with it. But then again, Kagome was not 'any other girl' in either time. She, and everything she did, was amazing and that was why he cared so much about her. Well, to tell the truth, he more than cared for her, he loved her. But he wasn't dumb enough to believe that anything could happen...

Kagome held Inuyasha as tightly as she could while looking up at his face and wandering into thought herself. Inuyasha was being so unlike he usually was. She often wondered what more there was to his past that she didn't kow about. He wasn't exactly the best at saying how he felt...but he was better than before. when she released him from the tree, he never would have come to a place like this to 'think' as he put it. Well, she didn't exactly know what he was like before Kikyo, but it couldn't have been as bad as when he woke up and wanted revenge on all of them...right? Well, he was still being totally nice, not that she minded. She rather liked having a moment where she screwed up and he actually didn't start a fight with her...or yell at her. This place must calm him down a little. And she could see why. She continued to look up at the man she loved so much as he stared into the pattern of stars that seemed to almost pull him in.

The hanyou was still, at the moment, thinking about how useless he was. 'I wonder...why does she like to stay with me?'

"Huh?" She snapped out of her dream-like stare as he asked the question.

His face was surpeised, and almost scarred as he said, "Did I just say that out loud?"

"Yeah." Her face turned away. 'He's thinking of Kikyo again. Even when I'm right here in front of him, he can't help but think of her.'

"Well, since I've already asked, are you gonna answer or just day-dream? (A/N: Or would it be night-dream?)"

"So you asked about me?" she asked shocked.

"No, I asked Sesshomaru...Of course you. Who else?"

"Well you don't have to get all mad. I...ummm I...thought you meant Kikyo."

"Have you not figured out by now that Kikyo has meant almost nothing to me since she sealed me to the tree? Besides, I knew why Kikyo stayed with me...she pitied me and wanted to help me, along with wanting to get rid of the jewel. But you could leave any time you wanted and never come back."

"Inuyasha, I choose to stay because I have a job to do and because I want to help my friends."

"But why help me?"

"Why not?"

"I thought that would have been obvious too. Because I'm weak and selfish and rude and..."

"Inuyasha we've been over this. You...Are...Not...Weak. I don't understand why you think that of yourself. You're the strongest person I've ever met."

"But I can never protect you. You always get captured or hurt...or possessed. And it's not like I've ever been able to stop that from happening."

Kagome was clinging to him yet again, hoping that some of the love she felt would rub off on him and show him how highly she thought of him.

"But you try. And it always works out in the end, right?"

"And what if next time it isn't alright? What if you die and there's nothing I can do about it? You know all of our enimies are capable of it." He sighed and looked out over the cliff at the lake that sparkled in the warm glow of the moon. "Maybe you should just leave for good and..."

"No." The word came out harshly and she wondered for a second if he would snap back. Tears glistened in her eyes as her gaze shifted from his face to the ground, ashamed of her momentarilly wet cheeks as they fell. "I won't leave you here alone again. You deserve more than that."

"Don't say what you don't mean."

"But I _do _mean it!"

"No you don't. You know as well as everyone else that any worthless half-breed like me doesn't have a right to be here. I shouldn't even be alive." He thought of all of the humans and demons alike who had stigmatized him as someone unworthy of life.

At that, anger filled her countenence, even as the tears comtinued to fall. "What is wrong with you! Whay won't you believe what I tell you? Do I mean so little to you that you would ignore everything I'm trying to say?"

His eyes widened as his gaze looked her straight in the eyes. "Who says you don't mean anything to me?"

"If I do mean something to you, then listen to what I have to say and..." her face softened again, "and try to understand that not everyone out there is as heartless as some. Remember, 'you are a child of the universe, no less than the trees'" she gestured to the large oaks aurrounding the clearing, "'and the stars.'" she looked upward and pointed. "'You have a right to be here.'"

She leaned up and kissed his cheed breifly and then linked arms with him and snuggled close. She was slightly shocked at her actions, but wasn't about to show that to him. She momentarally wondered if he would yell at her, or possibly push her away, but it didn't take long for that feeling to go away.

His eyes, if possible, became even wider with her actions. It surprised him that she was being so foward with her feelings, though he wasn't about to leave. He was actually liking the closeness.

All was quiet for a while, the two just enjoying the other's company and watching the wide moon pass slowly overhead, being the only sign that time was, indeed, moving. Of course both had been overcome with questions, but neither thought to ask tham. Though soon, Inuyasha spoke up.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That line. About the universe."

"Oh. My...my father used to say it." The tears had long since stopped cascading and her face had actually become somewhat happy. However, at the thought of her father, her gaze saddened yet again, though she held back the age-old tears that had hidden behind her facade. The memories came flooding back- her father's SUV, the thunder and rain that surrounded Tokyo that night, waking up in the hospital bed, her mother's tears, all of it came back, but she tried yet again to hold back the pain evident on hr face.

Inuyasha noticed the tension between them immediately, but didn't have any idea on how to comfort her. He'd never been good with crying girls, probably because Kikyo had never cried. And though he'd spent a lot of time with Kagome and was used to her soft heart and the tears that came with it, he'd never been good at cheering her up. He'd only manage to somehow make it worse. Ignoring the enigma that was her father, he decided he could only try to help. He pulled her into his lap and looked at her face against her will.

Though she wasn't crying, nor had she been since their last conversation, she had a patina of someone far older than fifteen and one who had also seen a great deal of sadness. More than he would have thought possible for her. "I'm sorry." He said, turning his eyes away from her face. He felt truely awful for bringing it up.

"For what?" Her face bacame a little less saddened, thankful she would not have to divulge the secret of her father just yet and also a little happy. He was appologizing, something he rarely, if ever, did.

"For bringing that up."

"It's fine." She smiled fakely, attempting to prove her point. "It's not like you could have known."

"But I made you sad, again."

"Inuyasha, please don't start the pity act again." She leaned in closer to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. "I can't stand seeing you like this." She burried her face in his chest. "Cuz I love you so much." Now, Kagome hadn't meant to actually say that out loud, only to mouth it and kinda wish she'd said it. However, for some unknown reason, her voice decided to come out, though only in a whisper. But, of course, Inuyasha's sensitive hearing picked it up as if she'd said it to his face.

"Huh?"

'Awww shit' she thought. 'That was _not_ supposed to happen!' "Heh heh, nothing, nothing at all, I didn't say anything I swear!"

"But I didn't even say that you said anything." He smirked, knowing he'd gotten her, and she'd practically dug her own grave. It was rather comical watching her blush, still refusing to say anything. Of course, Inuyasha knew what she'd said, but decided to make her suffer a little more.

"So, what did you say that you're so intent on keeping from me?" He watched her blush darken and listened to the quick stuttering she was doing, trying to rephrase the words into something not quite so obvious. After a while, he decided he should end her suffering. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers so briefly she wondered if she'd immagined it.

"You jerk, you knew what I said all along, didn't you."

"Well duh. How could you think I didn't?"

"But you...you kissed me!"

"Well, what'd you want me to do?"

"Well, I dunno, I just didn't think you'd do that."

He smiled and looked into her shining, yet confused, eyes. "I hope you know that means 'I love you'."

"Yeah, I kinda guessed that. But I love you too, so that makes us even."

And so he leaned down to kiss her again, yet tis one was deeper and filled with more passion than either of them believed was possible. As they broke away, the sun started to rise over the mountains in the distance, and the two lay on top of each other to watch the beautiful sight of the rising sun over the calm and glistening lake. All while the trees and quickly fading stars danced together for two of their siblings, for that were all children of the universe.

A/N: So, what'd ya'll think? Did I ramble on too much? I know it's a one shot, but please review anyway. It's my first one shot and I'd like to know how I did for future reference. Also, I'll restart work on _ Phantom_ as soon as I find the floppy that the last cahppie is on. Soon on another story will be up called _Forget Me Not_, so keep a close lookout for that one too. Personally, I think it's my best yet. Anyway, R&R and tell me how I did with this fic. I know most people don't review one shots, but please do this one, I like to know how I'm doing.

Midnight-Wolf-314


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